Our People

Andrew Leighton brings a wealth of technical, management and leadership experience relevant to the role of CEO at FWPA.

His senior executive roles have included seven years as Managing Director of Norske Skog Australasia and time as Vice-Chair of the Australian Forest Products Association.

Andrew is excited to lead FWPA, and sees huge potential for increasing the applications for, and use of, forest and wood products as the world adapts to a carbon-constrained economy.

Chris joined FWPA in March 2002 and serves as the Company Secretary. After 23 years at FWPA, Chris retired from his role as Head of Research Development & Extension.
Read more about Chris’s highlights through his time as Head of RD&E here.

Professionally qualified as a chemist, Chris was awarded a Master’s degree in Applied Chemistry from RMIT and a PhD in chemistry from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland.

Before joining FWPA he was a senior research scientist with the CRC for Clean Power from Lignite. Prior to that, Chris was a senior research scientist at the Center for Applied Energy Research at the University of Kentucky.

Ian manages FWPA’s RD&E projects and programs related to wood products. He joined the organisation in April 2025.

With a career spanning over 30 years in executive roles within the forest & wood products industry, Ian offers in-depth commercial expertise across the supply chain—from R&D and operations to sales, logistics, stakeholder engagement, downstream processing and value adding.

Ian’s extensive career encompasses roles in both Australia and internationally, including serving as General Manager of Stora Enso’s forestry business in Guangxi, China where he led business transformation in the areas of operations, safety, ethics & sustainability and played a lead role in the creation of the supply chain to Stora Enso’s Beihai Mill.

Ian is keen to use the knowledge he has gained leading large commercial forestry businesses to help FWPA achieve its goal of significantly increasing the importance of the sector in Australia, and to give back to the industry which has served him so well over the last 35 years.

Jodie manages RD&E projects and programs of interest to forest growers.

Jodie holds a Bachelor of Forest Science and a Master of Business Administration. She has over twenty years’ experience in forest management, with focus on operations, certification, forest carbon and environmental auditing. She has worked in both native forest and plantation management and provided consulting services to the sectors for fifteen years, across Australia and internationally.

Kevin has an extensive background in the forestry industry. He studied forestry at Australia National University and has worked in policy advocacy for increased R&D funding for the forest industry and also as chamber manager for pulp, paper, and bioproducts sector members. He was also an executive officer for Timber Towns Victoria and the National Timber Councils Association.

Sarah is a talented marketing and communications manager with over nine years of proven experience developing integrated marketing and communication strategies in the education and construction industries.

As an integral part of FWPA’s marketing and communications team, she manages the development and creation of key marketing and communication initiatives while making a difference by focusing on sustainability and the built environment.

Driven by team success, Sarah actively contributes to a positive work culture by developing positive relationships with all stakeholders.

John joined FWPA in July 2023.  He is responsible for the business and financial functions of the Corporation.

John is a CPA with more than 20 years experience in CFO roles in the private and not-for-profit sector, including the Sports industry, professional associations and service industry.  Recent roles have included a Research Foundation and Government co-funding models in alignment with FWPA’s structure.

Erick is an experienced economist with more than 10 years working in academia, government, and the private sector. His expertise includes economic modelling and environmental economics.

Before joining FWPA, he was a Research Fellow at the National Centre for Social Economic Modelling and a Senior Economist at KPMG. Erick holds a Master’s degree in International and Development Economics from ANU and a PhD in Economics from the University of Canberra. Erick is also an active member of the Economic Society of Australia (ESA) as well as the American Economic Association (AEA).

Boris is responsible for managing FWPA’s activities in building codes and material standards.

Boris has had more than 24 years of direct involvement in the Australian forest and wood products sector and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Structural) degree and a Graduate Diploma in Building Fire Safety and Risk Engineering.

He has represented the timber industry on a number of Standards Australia’s Technical Committees including TM-002 Timber Framing and TM-006 Timber Preservation and Durability. He is actively involved in the drafting of technical guides, informing designers, specifiers and regulators in relation to timber engineering and bushfire compliant solutions, and is a member of Standards Australia’s Timber Standards Coordination Group.

Beth manages the ForestLearning Education program, aiming to serve educators, children, and the public with information on Australian forests and forest-based products, and provision and access to forestry teaching resources. The program is further supported by links to key government, industry organisations and educational service providers.

Before joining FWPA, Beth spent the previous 13 years involved in the formation and management of peak school to industry partnership programs with AgForce Queensland and the Gateway Schools to Agribusiness South region. Beth has held roles in communications, teaching, science research, science curriculum extension, curriculum development, and strategy within schools, peak agricultural industry associations, the Plant Biosecurity CRC and various government agencies including CSIRO, DAFQ and DNR&M.

Beth served as a non-Executive Director for the first Primary Industries Education Foundation Board and was a participant in Australia 2020 and the DAFF Rural Leaders Course.  She holds a Grad Dip Ed (Science), 1st class Hons Science (Entomology), Bachelor of Applied Science, CERT IV Training and Assessment and Cert IV TESOL.

Jarrod joined FWPA in March 2012. As R&D Projects Officer, Jarrod assists the R&D Manager and the Forest Research Manager with the management of FWPA’s portfolio and R&D activities.

Jarrod completed a Bachelor in Biological Sciences at La Trobe University, majoring in zoology, and microbiology with a minor in botany.

Before joining FWPA, he worked at the Department of Primary Industries for five years in various roles including Project Officer in PIRVic Plant Genetics & Genomics and also at Fisheries Victoria’s Fisheries Co-management Council.

Campbell is responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns with the Marketing and Communications team in collaboration with each of the FWPA program managers.

A marketing generalist, he has experience in designing and executing digital marketing strategies from start to finish in the education sector. Campbell holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Marketing and Finance from RMIT University. Campbell is excited to bring his skills and experience to FWPA and to help position and promote wood products as the most renewable material available.

Kathryn’s background spans agricultural science, international development, biodiversity conservation and farm safety. Most recently, she provided administrative support to the Worker Support Program at ForestWorks and has also worked on programs that improve safety in horticulture and promote the use of native Australian grasses for environmental restoration. 

What ties it all together is her passion for collaboration and climate resilience. Kathryn believes the best outcomes come when communities, industries and governments work side by side, an approach that aligns perfectly with FWPA’s mission. 

Outside of her professional achievements, Kathryn is known for her curiosity and genuine care for people. She’s motivated by creating long-term, practical solutions that balance environmental needs with community wellbeing. 

” In my short experience working in forestry, one of the main things that stands out is the people and how amazing everyone has been. I’m looking forward to connecting more with our researchers and growers.” 

Olivia joins FWPA from Diversified, a global media and events company, where she led marketing and communications for large scale events across Australia and internationally. With a strong foundation in driving global events and campaigns, Olivia brings a strategic marketing lens and a passion for engaging and connecting audiences through impactful communications.   

She thrives on storytelling and is passionate about all aspects of communication. 

“I’m excited to be stepping into a new industry and to learn more about the role forestry plays in Australia. It’s a great opportunity to bring my experience from global events and marketing into a new space and connect with the many people who make up this sector.” 

Marie brings more than 20 years’ experience in marketing, communications, and brand strategy across professional associations, not-for-profits, education, retail, and major consumer brands.  

She has led teams in client and agency settings, driving digital transformation, membership growth, stakeholder engagement, and large-scale campaigns. Known for blending data insights with creativity, she streamlines processes, builds strong stakeholder relationships, and delivers measurable results. Passionate about customer value, brand strength, and collaboration, she thrives in dynamic, changing environments. 

“I’m looking forward to using my experience to help share the industry’s story, highlight innovations, and build stronger connections around the value of sustainable forest and wood products.”  

Peter joined FWPA in March 2023. He is responsible for the assistance in the business and financial functions of the organization.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with double major in accounting and finance from Melbourne University. He is also CPA qualified and has more than 4 years of experience in the private and public sector. Before joing FWPA, he worked as an Assistant Accountant at Nexif Energy.